Electric lighting system and controls therefor



NOV. 27, 1934. DOUGLAS 1,982,500

ELECTRIC LIGHTING SYSTEM AND CONTROLS THEREFOR Filed Oct. 14, 1931 2Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 27, 1934. H A OULA 1,982,500

ELECTRIC LIGHTING SYSTEM AND CONTROLS THEREFOR Filed Oct. 14, 1931 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 27, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEELECTRIC LIGHTING SYSTEM AND CONTROLS THEREFOR 2 Claims.

This invention relates to electric lighting systems and controlstherefor more particularly for automotive vehicles.

Among other objects, the invention provides an electric lighting systemhaving improved auxiliary control means in addition to the usual circuitcontrolling switch.

The invention is of particular utility in connection with a duplexlighting system for an automotive vehicle inclusive of normal drivinglights and intermediate driving lights and improved means, whereby thenormal driving lights may be temporarily extinguished and theintermediate driving lights substituted therefor, or vice versa,

5 at any time during the operation of the vehicle (for example, when thevehicle is passing another car), said means being desirably footoperated so that the hands of the driver of the vehicle are left freefor other driving operations. The invention is also desirably inclusiveof means permitting the driver to remove his foot from the auxiliarycontrol means leaving the lighting system in the condition in which hehas last placed it. I also provide that one pair of driving lights neednot be extinguished until another pair is lighted, so

that the headlights do not go off during the selective alternations.

The invention will be more fully explained in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in

which-- Figure 1 is an axial section of one form of structure for theauxiliary control means employed with my invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the structure of Figure 1; Y t

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

' Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of some of the parts of the structure ofFigure 1 shown in separated relation;

Figure 6 is a projected view on a single plane of some of the partsshown in Figure 5; and Figure '7 is a diagrammatic view showing theillustrative mechanism applied to a duplex lighting circuit of anautomobile.

Referring in detail to the figures of the drawings, I have shown anelectric lighting system for automotive vehicles including a source ofcurrent such as the battery 1 (Figure 7) and a plurality of lightingfilaments in each of the head lamps 2, such as the double filaments 3and 4. The filaments 3 may be located in the focus of the lamps and maythus constitute the normal driving lights of a vehicle, while thefilament 4 may be of the same candle power, but located above the focusof the lamp so as to direct the light more downwardly and thus avoiddazzling the eyes of the driver of an approaching car, during thepassing of the vehicles. Any suitable switching mechanism such as theconventional hand operated switch 5 (which may be conveniently locatedon the dashboard 6 of the vehicle and is in electrical connection withthe battery 1 by means of the insulated lead 7) may be employed toestablish circuits through each of the filaments 3 and 4. In accordancewith my invention, auxiliary switching mechanism is also provided fordiscontinuing the circuit through one of the filaments, say the filament3, and continuing a circuit through another filament such as thefilament 4,

or vice versa. This auxiliary switching mechanism is desirably footoperated and is represented by the switch 8 which is advantageously ofthe push-button type and may be conveniently located on the floor board9 of the vehicle, preferably to the left of the clutch pedal (notshown).

The illustrative foot operated switch may include a metal base 10(Figure 1) which may be appropriately secured to the underside of thefloor board 9, the operative parts of the switch projecting through asuitable aperture in the floor board. The base 10 mounts upon one side acylindrical turret 11 which projects through a suitable opening in thefloor board 9, and upon the other side an insulating block 12, theturret conveniently having longitudinally extending lugs 13 which passthrough holes in the base and are clinched over the insulating block 12,maintaining the parts in assembly. Sliding upon the turret 11 intelescoping relation therewith is a depressible member represented bythe cap 14 and plunger 15, which may be riveted together as at 16 toconstitute in effect a unitary member which is adapted to have uniformmotion. That is the cap and plunger are moved in one direction on theturret l1 selectively by the foot of the operator of the vehicle andwhen released are automatically moved in the other direction to bereturned to their original position, for the purpose of controlling thecircuits referred to.

Contacts for these circuits may be carried by the insulating block 12such as the contacts 1'7, 18, 19 and 20. These contacts are arranged inpairs, each pair constituting the terminals of one of the circuits andare grouped about a common center as being radially disposed thereabout,the contacts of a pair, such as the contacts 1'7--l9 or 110 vgo outduring the alternation from one the contacts 18-20 are on diametricallyopposite sides of the said center.

As here shown, the contact members 1'7, 19 and 20 each rivet to theblock 12 metallic terminal members 21, 22 and 23, respectively, whereas,the contact 18 is in electrical connection by means of the metal strip24 with the contact 17. Incooperation with suitable binding screws, suchas the screw 25, the terminal members 21, 22 and 23 electrically connectthe insulated leads 26, 27 and 28, respectively, with the contacts 17,19 and 20 (Figure 6). The lead 26 connects the dash switch 5 with thecontact 1'7; the lead 27 connects the filaments 3, constituting thenormal driving lights of the vehicle with the contact 19; and the lead28 connects the filaments 4 or the intermediate driving lights of thevehicle with the contact 20.

I provide a current conducting bridge here represented by the metallicwiper 29 which is adapted for selectively connecting the contacts of thepairs of contacts, that is, the contacts 1'7 and 19 may be electricallyconnected by the wiper 29 or the contacts 18 and 26'may be connected.When the contacts 17- and'19, for example, are connected by the wiper 29(assuming the main switch 5 to be in circuit continuing position) acircuit is established through the grounded battery 1, leads 7, 26 and27 and through the grounded filaments 3, causing the normal drivinglights of the car to be lighted. Similarly when the contacts 18 and 20are connected by the wiper 29, the circuit just described is broken andthe circuit is established through the grounded battery 1, leads '7, 26and 28 and each of the grounded filaments 4, causing the intermediatedriving lights of the vehicle to be lighted.

The wiper 29 is desirably wide enough so that the connection between onepair of contacts, say 17 and 19, is not broken until the circuit isestablished through another pair, 18 and 20, so that either of thefilaments 3 or 4 will glow continuously in any position of the wiper 29,provided the switch member 5 is in circuit closing position, thusdesirably insuring that the head lights do not lighting filament to theother.

In the present exemplification of the invention, the wiper 29 isrotatable by movement of the cap and plunger 14 and 15, means beingprovided for transforming the reciprocable movement of the cap andplunger into rotary motion to rotate the wiper upon reciprocation of thecap and plunger in either direction.

The wiper 29 is adapted to be rotated on an axis coincident with thecenter about whichthe contact 17, 18, 19 and 20 are arranged. For thispurpose, the wiper may .be a thin strip of metal diametrically fixedupon an insulating disc 30. The disc 36 may comprise a plurality oflaminated layers of insulating material, as shown in Figure 1, (theends'of the wiper being clinched thereover) and the rotary member soformed is coaxially secured by suitable. means to one end of a squarehollow shaft 31,. To rotate this member, the shaft 31 is shown intelescoping relation with a hollow cam follower having a shaftlikeportion 32 which is also square in cross section and is closed at oneend and open at the other. Through its open end the follower receivesthe shaft 31 with a snug sliding fit. The follower also includes acircular metal plate 33 secured to the open' end of the shaft 32 andhaving the integral radial follower fingers 34, spaced ninety degreesapart around the follower; These fingers project into a cam path formedby the opposed cam surfaces 39 and 40. These cam surfaces may beconveniently produced by suitably cutting the opposing ends of twocylindrical members 41, thus making each cam surface continuous. Thecylindrical members 41 may be secured about the axis referred to bystaking them as at 42 to the inner walls of the turret 11, holes 43being produced in the cylindrical members 41 to receive the indentedportions 42 of the turret (Figures 1 and 4). Each cam surface 39 and 40has a series of hills 44 and valleys 45 and the hills of the valleys ofthe two surfaces are staggered, that is a hill of one cam surface isopposite and substantially midway between a hill and valley of the othercam surface. Each hill and valley provides an inclined slope 46 whichthe follower fingers 34 ride upon. The follower 32 therefore canreciprocateon the shaft 31, but will cause the shaft to rotate with it,on reciprocation in either direction of the follower 32, rotation of thewiper 29 being therefore caused on an axis which is common to the wiperand to the center about which the contacts are disposed.

Since the inclines 46 of both cam surfaces face in the same directionand are alternately arranged, reciprocation of the follower 32 in onedirection will cause the fingers 33 to slide along the inclines 46 ofthe cam surface 39. During this movement of the follower, the fingerswill be given an angular movement by sliding along the inclines 46 andthe follower will be partially rotated.

Reciprocation of the follower in the opposite direction will cause thefingers to leave the inclines 46 of the cam surface 39 and to engage theinclines 46 of the cam surface 40, when the follower will be furtherrotated. Regardless, therefore, of which direction the follower ismoved, it will upon any movement be partially rotated in the samedirection and consequently the wiper 29 will also be rotated in the samedirection.

The follower 32 may be reciprocated in one direetion by depression ofthe cap and plunger 14 and 15 by the foot of the driver of the vehicleand upon release is automatically reciprocated in the opposite directionby the coil spring 47 which is jointly enclosed by the hollow members 31and 32 and presses these members apart. The spring 47' also maintainsthe wiper 29 in engagement with one or the other of the pairs ofcontacts 17-19 or 1820. Movement of the plunger 15 outwardly of the.turret 11 may be limited as in the present construction by engagement ofthe shoulder 48 on the plunger and an annular inwardly directed flange49 on the end of the turret. The plunger 15 need have only reciprocatorymotion, it desirably engages the follower 32 at but one point, tominimize friction between the two parts, for example, at the rivet 16which is centrally located to bear against the closed end of thefollower. The enlarged inner end 50 of the plunger slides along theinner walls of the cam cylinder 41, while the cap 14 slides along theouter walls of the turret 11, the walls of the turret and cam cylindersbeing thus between the plunger and cap, so that the parts are wellstabilized and. the cap acts as a movable closure over all.

In the normal position of the cam follower 32 to which it is returned bythe action of the spring 47, the wiper 29 is arranged to bridge one ofthe pairs of contacts 1'7-19 or 18-20 without engaging the other pair.If, as already described, the wiper bridges contacts 17 and 19, thenormal driving lights of the car being then on, and the cap14isdepressed by the foot of the driver, the

inclines 46 of the cam surface 39 will rotate the follower 32 through anangle of approximately forty-five degrees. Since the contacts 19 and 17,for example, are ninety degrees apart, the wiper will then occupy aposition midway between the contacts 19 and 18 and midway between thecontacts 17 and 20. In this position of the wiper, both the normaldriving lights and the intermediate driving lights of the car will beon, simultaneously, since the wiper electrically connects both pairs ofcontacts 17-19 and 18-20. When new the driver takes his foot oil the cap14, the spring 47 retracts the plunger 15, causing the follower 32 to befurther rotated by engagement of the fingers 34 with the inclines 46 ofthe opposed cam surface 40, another forty-five degrees, which places thewiper in electric bridging connection with the contacts 18 and 20 only,so that the normal driving lights of the car are extinguished and theintermediate driving lights are on. When the driver wishes to changeback again to the normal driving lights of the car, he repeats theoperation just described. Thus by operation of the cap and plunger, thetwo circuits described may be successively opened and closed inuninterrupted se quences of cycles of operation by means of a memberhaving uniform motion, and the bridge may remain in either operativeposition.

By means of a conductor 51, which is connected in parallel with theswitch 8, a circuit may be established through the main switch 5 to thegrounded filament, not shown, of the usual tail light 52. When theswitch 5 is therefore in circuit closing position, the tail light is onregardless of which of the head lamp filaments are in circuit. When itis desired to extinguish all of the lights described, the switch 5 maybe turned by hand to off position.

Obviously, the invention is not limited to the details of constructiondescribed above for illustration.

Subject matter disclosed but not claimed in this application is claimedin my cope'nding application, Serial No. 568,669 filed October 14, 1931,in which I have broadly claimed the switch structure per se.

Having described one embodiment of my invention, I claim:

1. In a lighting system for automotive vehicles, the combination of a.source of electricity and bright and dim head lamps with a one directionoperator actuated reciprocable switching mechanism operating at eachactuation to establish a circuit from the source through both bright anddim filaments and after each actuation to automatically complete thereciprocation and at the same time maintain the current through onefilament and discontinue the current through the other filament, wherebyat each successive cycle of reciprocation the bright and dim filamentsare both energized and thereafter the respective filaments energizedalternately.

2. In a lighting system for automotive vehicles, the combination of aplurality of pairs of lighting filaments, a source of current, switchingmechanism for simultaneously establishing and maintaining circuitsthrough both of said pairs of filaments, and unitary auxiliary switchingmechanism having two alternative positions, one of said positionscontinuing the circuit through both pairs of filaments and the otherposition discontinuing the circuit through one pair of filaments andcontinuing a circuit through the other pair, operator controlled meansmoving the auxiliary switching mechanism into the first mentionedposition to continue and maintain the circuit through both pairs offilaments, and means for automatically moving the auxiliary switchingmechanism to the second mentioned position to continue the circuitthrough one pair of filaments but to discontinue the circuit through theother pair upon release of said operator control means.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS.

